CHAPTER III 



"the story of the herefords" 



I BEGAN with the Kansas City Armours in 1889, 

 and remained with them until 1902. My advent 

 in the cattle industry proper came about in an acci- 

 dental way. I was on the provisions side of the 

 packing business, holding down a desk of specialties, 

 "mild-cured, selected hams and bacon," for our 

 whole territory, and also In charge of western 

 brokers, which latter work brought me in contact, 

 largely by observation, with the northwestern ranges, 

 although I met many of the owners. In 1892 reg- 

 istered Herefords were "in the dumps." There 

 was no movement; breeders were in despair. The 

 range was taking some bulls but at values below the 

 cost of production, 



Chas. M. Culbertson, Newman, 111., a retired Chi- 

 cago packer, had become interested in Herefords in 

 1877, accumulating, through importations and top- 

 ping American sources, one of the greatest herds in 

 history. Having decided to clean up, he visited his 

 old friend Philip D. Armour, explained his plans, 

 and asked Mr. Armour to instruct his cattle buyers 

 to mark the registered cattle up for all they would 

 stand for slaughter. Mr. Armour told him that 



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